MotoGP will feature a curious crop of rookies in 2025, most notably with Moto2 World Champion Ai Ogura, and multiple intermediate class race winner Fermin Aldeguer, entering the class.
While Ogura impressed in preseason testing at both Sepang and Buriram, it is Aldeguer who is more exciting to 2003 World Superbike Champion and former MotoGP rider Neil Hodgson.
“[Fermin] Aldeguer, definitely,” TNT Sports MotoGP pundit Neil Hodgson said in an interview with Crash.net when asked which of this year’s three rookies excites him the most.
“Ai Ogura has shocked me a little bit, he’s gone much better than I thought he would,” he added, “but I’m a huge Aldeguer fan.”
Hodgson continued: “I remember when I first watched him when he was 16-years-old in Moto2 battling at the front and [I was] thinking: ‘Imaging being 16-years-old and battling at the front of a Moto2 race’.
“Like, how do you get that fast that soon?
“So, I’m a huge fan, and I think Aldeguer this year will battle for some wins.
“But, genuinely, there’ll be some tracks where it clicks for him – and he’ll crash and he’ll make mistakes – but, when the stars align, that kid’s got some talent – and he’s got the bike underneath him."
“The beauty is the 2025 [Ducati] – actually, there’s no such thing, so he’ll be on a relatively level playing field to fight," Hodgson said.
Hodgson explained that Aldeguer is a “freaky sort of rider” that can make a difference, compared to other riders, with his own ability and skill level.
“He’s one of those riders who can make the difference,” Hodgson said.
“He’s one of those freaky sort of riders that I watch every now and then and think ‘How’s he done that?’
“The only disappointment is that last year was disappointing, I was shocked. But talent’s talent and he’s got it, definitely.”
Aldeguer will work this year with Frankie Carchedi as his crew chief in the Gresini Racing team. Carchedi worked last year with Marc Marquez, and was crew chief to Joan Mir at Suzuki for the Spaniard’s full spell with the Hamamatsu marque – including his title-winning 2020 season.
“Where he’s been lucky is he’s got Frankie Carchedi to work with who’s been able to make champions, he’s really good at tailoring the bike to the rider’s needs,” Hodgson explained.
“I spoke to Frankie about him already and he’s saying ‘You can’t believe how fast this kid is’.
“So, watch this space.”
